Life As We Know It
by Goofygoobers
Summary: Everyone has returned for a new year at Hogwarts. Drama ensues as the ministry announces a new law. Contains some of my own characters. First chapter is short but the rest will be longer.


The Great Hall of Hogwarts was buzzing with life. Students had just arrived to the school for the first time since it had been re-built. It had taken 4 months to return the castle to it's original students in the great hall this year had swollen in numbers. All the students who had stayed away from the school in the previous year during the war had returned. Everyone had also returned the repeat the previous year, considering how poor the level of education had been.

The student buzzed about how their summers had been, how relaxed everything was fallowing the war. The only bleak spots on the students minds were the missing faces in the crowd of students who had been killed in the war.

Harry Potter sat at the centre or the Gryffindor table, surrounded by his friends. He had never been so happy to be back at Hogwarts in his life. Looking around, it was very soothing for him to see so many happy faces. It was a refreshing change to sit in this place without fear of one thing or another nagging in the back of his mind.

After the students had finished their dinners, Professor McGonagall stood at the head of the dais where the teacher's table sat, behind the podium that Dumbledore had used every year.

"Attention students! Welcome back to another year at our beautifully restored school!" applause went up around the hall.

"Now, for the rules. A few things have been changed this year. In light of the war, discrimination of any sort will be dealt with in the most savear of ways. As you may have noticed we have upped the number of prefects in the school to help achieve this goal since teachers cannot be everywhere at all times. As usual the forbidden forest is off limits to all students, and the curfew for you to be out of the halls is at 10 o'clock. Now, everyone may leave except for the students ages 17 and up, there is a special announcement for you from the ministry." Everyone but the 7th year students proceeded to rise and follow the 5th and 6th year prefects out of the hall.

"Blimey. What do you think the ministry as cooked up now?" asked Seamus Finnegan, leaning forward over the table to look town at their group of friends.

"I dunno mate, but I can imagine that it won't be anything good. Did your dad mention anything to you before we left Ron?" asked Harry, turning towards his best friend.

"He said the ministry was coming up with something big but he never said what, and he didn't seem too happy about whatever it was." Ron replied, looking nervous.

Finally all the younger students had exited the great hall. The remaining students were deathly silent as slammed the doors of the Hall shut behind them. They turned their attention back to the front of the Great Hall.

"As you all know, the population of the Wizarding World has been greatly depleted by the war. Because of this, the Ministry has passed a new Law. This law entails that each of you is going to be paired up, and you and your partner will then have a month to get married." Shouts of protests went up around the great hall.

"You CANNOT be serious! This is ludicrous! The ministry can't do this!" shouted Draco Malfoy from the Slytherin table.

"Have a seat ! Allow me to finish before you start shouting. There are other stipulations to this law. Within the first year of marriage you and your partner must produce a child. Then, sometime in the five years following you must produce at least one more. If you decide not to follow this law your wand will be snapped and you will be exiled from the wizarding world." The room was dead silent, every student looking at their headmistress in horror. A lot of the female population was blanching at the prospect of giving birth.

"Your partners will be announced a week from today. This gives you a week to try and come to terms with this law, and to decide if you would rather go live in the muggle world. You are excused to go to bed."

The students continued to sit there for a few more silent moments before the erupted into angry discussion.


End file.
